Restoration of the genus Parasaccocoelium Zhukov, 1971 (Digenea: Haploporidae) and a description of two new species from mugilid fish in the Far East of Russia

Abstract

AbstractNew data relating to the fauna of Haploporidae (Digenea) in mugilid fish from Primorsky Region of the south of the Russian Far East are presented. In the most recent revision of the family Haploporidae Nicoll, 1914, Parasaccocoelium Zhukov, 1971 was synonymized with Pseudohapladena Yamaguti, 1952 (Overstreet & Curran, 2005). Here, we restore the genus Parasaccocoelium. The species described by Zhukov can be distinguished from the species Pseudohapladena sensu Yamaguti, 1952 using a combination of the following features: (1) diffuse or absent eye-spot pigment; (2) subterminal or terminal oral sucker; (3) present or absent genital atrium; and (4) vitellarium with two large and compact vitelline masses, or vitelline follicles tubular and divided into two groups. For the species of Pseudohapladena, i.e. P. scatophagi, Yamaguti noted that the vitelline follicles occupy almost the entire post-testicular region, but in the present specimens, the vitelline follicles do not occupy the post-testicular region. Based on the diagnosis of Pseudohapladena by Overstreet & Curran (2005), the genus Parasaccocoelium differs in the following features: (1) a single testis that is longitudinal, longitudinally oval, spherical, transversally oval, irregular, bilobed or V-shaped, or a testis that is subspherical to irregular to elongate; (2) the vitellarium in the lateral fields formed from large compact follicles that have an irregular form and extend between the anterior margin of the ventral sucker or pharynx and posterior margin of the testis, and the vitelline follicles do not occupy post-testicular regions; or the vitellarium consists of elongate groups of follicles that usually extend at least one-half of a body length and extend to the posterior end of the body in some and to the posterior margin of the testis in others; (3) the eggs are operculate, unembryonated and developed when laid, or the eggs in some cases are only operculate; and (4) a developed miracidium with or without an eye spot. New data have been added to the description of Parasaccocoelium mugili Zhukov, 1971 based on new material, and two new species of this genus, Pa. haematocheilum n. sp. from Liza haematocheila and Pa. polyovum n. sp. from L. haematocheila and Mugil cephalus, are described using morphological and molecular approaches. We support the taxonomic status of the genus Parasaccocoelium and its inclusion within the sub-family Waretrematinae, and we consider Pseudohapladena lizae Liu et Yang, 2002 to be a junior synonym of Parasaccocoelium mugili Zhukov, 1971.